“It’s pretty evident that if you’re able to help in some way, shape or form, it’d be greatly appreciated,” he said. “Anything we can do as citizens to help out, I believe it’s huge.”
Stickley, who was recently accepted to the United States Air Force Academy on a full scholarship, said he talked to a couple cadets about 3D printing masks and decided it was something he could do.
He said he reached out to Global Impact STEM Academy High School Director Michael Payne about the idea. Within a couple of days, he was up and running with the help of three 3D printers from the school plus his own at home, he said.
The 3D design, which came from an open source company called Prusa Research, is made of filament and vinyl to make the clear face shield, Stickley said.
“This design is a visor that goes over your face. You put it on your head and you can also wear N95 masks underneath the visors as well,” he said.
Stickley said the STEM Academy has supplied him with the printers, and a lot of the filament and vinyl he needs.
“I have spent some of my own money on supplies. A couple things like maintenance on the printers and some more filament,” he said.
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As of now, Stickley said he is making and donating the visors alone, but is open to anyone who wants to help.
He said that with classes transitioning to online, making the masks has been manageable for the most part.
“While the printers are running, I can monitor and do school work at the same time,” he said. “I found a pretty good balance.”
The goal is to make about 30 face shields a week to donate to local health care providers, Stickley said.
Stickley said he’s looking to donate to the Clark County Combined Health District (CCCHD), the Clark County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), the Champaign County Health District and the Champaign County EMA over the next several weeks.
Emma Smales, public information officer for the CCCHD, said they love that residents are looking for ways to help during this health crisis.
“The donation of face shields from Isaiah is greatly appreciated,” she said.
The first 30 face shields will stay with the health district and any additional ones will go to the county EMA to be distributed in the community to agencies based on priority and need, Smales said.
“Our staff is still conducting essential clinical services, WIC duties and N95 mask fit-testing for long term care workers, law enforcement, fire and EMS,” she said. “It is very important that we protect our workforce as well as the public while those essential services continue.”
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Payne, said what Stickley is doing is the culture of the STEM Academy.
“This is simply the culture of Global Impact STEM Academy,” he said. “Isaiah is a talented young man who has gone above and beyond in utilizing his skill set to serve our community.”
Payne said, like Stickley, many people want to help during the crisis in any way they can.
The STEM Academy has also donated 300 pairs of goggles and two sanitation boxes to Rocking Horse Community Health Center for PPE. High school physical science teacher Shelby Dodds is also helping to print face shields using one of the schools 3D printers.
“There are PPE needs now and in the future. Even when we return to activity and decrease social distancing, health care workers are going to continue to need PPE,” Dodds said.
Dodds said she hopes to make as many face shields as she can to support patient care at Wright State Physicians Department of Family Medicine.
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